The Warriors of the Night
by Yelloweye
Summary: The unstoppable warriors have come to the forest under the command of the arrogant Blitz, who doesn't like what she finds. Will conflict erupt amongst the clans because of these warriors? Adopted by SunriseMist.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Warriors**

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A blue-silver she cat padded through the undergrowth. She had yellowing eyes and long, talon like claws, and was clearly not a cat to mess with. She sniffed the air, looking for any scent of the trespasser she had been hunting. She could smell nothing of the cat.

Angry, she reared up and slashed the bark off a tree planted by twolegs. _Stupid, pitiful twolegs, _she thought. _They're not helping anyone with these weak sapplings. _She returned to her hunt, hoping to pick up the trail again.

"You know," a voice said, not far from where the she-cat was. "You'd have a lot less trouble if you weren't so impulsive." The she-cat spun around and growled like a dog.

"What do you want?" the she-cat spat.

"You know," the voice mused. "One would find it better to treat their elders with respect." into the clearing stepped a cat with a tawny colored pelt.

"Cougar," the she-cat regarded the tom coldly.

"Blitz," he said, not at all unfriendly. "How's the clan? I here you broke tradition." Blitz snorted.

"With good reason. I don't want any gifts from Starclan that will make me better than my clanmates. I'll keep the way I am, thank you very much!" she paused, then said softer, "The clan's fine, by the way. I'm pretty sure you saw we had to relocate a little while ago." Cougar nodded, pleased that Blitz had lowered her hostility levels.

"So what do you want?" Blitz asked.

"I came to warn you," Cougar looked solemn.

"About what? The other clans cannot oppose us, as we are the ancient clan, far before those stingy cave dwellers! To oppose us would be to oppose their very ancestors!" Blitz laughed darkly. Cougar frowned, wondering if he had chosen the right person to be his successor. Blitz had been young when he had passed away, barely just finishing her training.

"No, they cannot dispose of the Warriors of the Night, but you must be careful, my dear Blitzen, as fate has many hardships in store for you. Be careful of the corrupt and dark, as they will attempt to strike you down, to rip you of your power just as easily as you ripped the bark off that tree. Please, my apprentice, be careful." With that, he dissolved into shadows.

"Be careful, blah blah blah. Old furball." she muttered under her breath, thrashing her tail from side to side. "Who would dare oppose I, Blitz, leader of the Warriors of the Night!" she walked through the undergrowth, unaware of a certain cat with ice blue eyes had seen her little spat with the tom.

"I would, Blitzen," he hissed laughingly as he watched her retreat into the undergrowth. "I would." and he too dissolved in shadows.

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**OKAY! R&R and tell me how it is! PM me if you have questions. I wrote this literally in the middle of the night, so don't complain about it being only 500 words.**

**FYI, she was dreaming. Who thinks they can guess who the spy was?**


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Warriors. **

**FYI: For those of you who are confused, her is some information on the Warriors of the Night**

**Okay, so long ago, at the beginning of Starclan, there were only two clans; Starclan and Nightclan. Nightclan cats were vengeful, and a lot like Bloodclan in a way, though they had some nobility. As cats died, they would congregate in the hunting grounds of the dead, eventually forming Starclan. Now, there were these five cats, who were sick of being part of Nightclan, so they went on their way to start their own clan. These cats were Shadow, Sky, Thunder, River, and Wind. Eventually, these cats managed to gain members for their clan, and a huge battle broke out over who should be in charge. They all fought, even Nightclan, who fought because they considered this an act of treason, and wanted the "rogues'" heads. Eventually, after many died, a cat called Star came down from Starclan and decreed their to be five clans in the forest. Star decreed that Nightclan find a different place to live, away from the clans, as they had caused the most deaths and casualties. Nightclan moved away, and isolated from others, their identity began to wash away. They eventually became the Warriors of the Night, and much of their history and beliefs were lost. They move around a lot, but when one of their settlements is destroyed, they are forced to move back with the clans. They are led by Blitz, who is newly appointed after the former leader, Cougar, died. **

**Does that help?**

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Blitz padded through the thin line of trees. In her jaws she held a pheasant, which was a small feat to her. Her warriors could bring down a deer, for Starclan's sake! Pouring rain plastered her fur against her skin, making her appear to shimmer with each stride and swing of her long tail.

Blitz pointed her nose to the cloudy sky and sniffed the air. The rain had washed away many of the forest scents, but her strong nose detected the scent of other cats. The scent was pristine and definite. Blitz scoffed. It only made sense that the clans have separate scents. The clans that had formed from the Warriors of the Night always argued, setting themselves as far apart as possible. Didn't they know that this would be their downfall in battle? The enemy could detect them a mile away, even in this pouring rain.

Even though it held the warning of the clans, who would surely cause trouble for her, forcing her to rip them all apart, Blitz was a young cat. And everybody knows young cats are curious.

"Curiosity killed the cat, you know," said a voice behind her. Blitz dropped the pheasant and sighed.

"When," she said, without turning around. "Will my ancestors stop hounding me trying to give me advice?"

"When you gain an ounce of wisdom!" replied the voice. Blitz turned around. _Figures, _Blitz thought. Standing their was a she-cat the color of stars.

"Starling, please stay out of my business. As you remember, sis, _I _became leader, that means I do to have wisdom." Blitz said to her silver sister.

"As you remember, _I _was supposed to be leader, but-"

"But you died. Simple. Sis, I know what happened. I know you're angry about loosing your chance to be in charge, but that doesn't mean you can whisper in my ear, trying to live through me." With that, Blitz turned, grabbed her prey, and dashed off through the trees, leaving the ghost of her sister behind.

Why did all of the dearly departed try to talk to her? Did all leaders go through it? Was it because she was young, and to quote her mother, "immature"? She could lead her clan as well as any cat!

Wrapped up in her thoughts, she almost ran in on a small hunting party. _That was close, _she thought. She thanked Starclan for her forest scented pelt, which had saved her more than once before.

"I smell an intruder," said a small voice. _More like intruder__s_. Blitz thought. She dropped her pheasant and peaked through the shrubbery to see a small gray cat, probably an apprentice. A large cat, though not as large as Blitz, looked abruptly over at the apprentice.

"Do you see the intruder, Dovepaw?" asked the large, gold colored cat. The small cat named Dovepaw swiveled her head around, trying to catch a glimpse of the "intruder". Blitz was about to turn and slink away when she heard Dovepaw give a shout.

"Over there, Lionblaze! Behind the bush!" Blitz wondered how the young cat could have seen her. She heard the two cats approach her hiding spot slowly, and when they were within about five paces, Blitz leaped over the bush, landing on the cat named Lionblaze. She let out a growl like the wolves she had seen in the mountains when she was young.

She slashed across Lionblaze's flank. Lionblaze leaped up and slashed her across the muzzle. Angered and tasting the salty taste of blood, Blitz lunged for his neck. Lionblaze managed to dodge, whipping around to nip her tail. Blitz suddenly felt a weight land on her back, too light to be Lionblaze, though. Blitz snapped her head around to see the small gray apprentice clinging for dear life to her back. Blitz shook her back hard and Dovepaw went flying.

To make sure Dovepaw wouldn't be a problem anymore, Blitz ran over to where Dovepaw was lying in a daze on the ground. Dovepaw saw the sky above her darken, and scrambled to get up. Blitz loomed over her, and licked her lips, and unsheathed her claws to their full length, preparing for the killing blow.

"Good-bye, little kit," she said. Just as she was about to slice through Dovepaw's throat, a heavy weight barreled into her. Blitz grunted as she was thrown a few feet, her body kicking up leaves. She leaped to her paws, hissing in rage.

She aimed a blow at Lionblaze's head, but he hardly flinched. He slashed her across the eye in turn. Blitz stood, stunned, as she felt the warm flow of blood seep into her eye, which by some work of Starclan had remained intact and working. She blinked, and felt Lionblaze barrel once more into her. He raked his claws across the exposed soft flesh on her belly, and Blitz responded by hitting him in the jaw repeatedly with her hind legs.

"Who...are...you?" Lionblaze asked through clenched teeth as Blitz continued to land blows to his jaw, while he could not defend himself from using both paws to try and keep Blitz pinned.

"Blitzen, leader of the Warriors of the Night, for your information!" she spat with venom. Lionblaze gasped and Blitz used the chance to aim a blow to his neck. Lionblaze fell to the ground, gasping for air. Blitz jumped up and raised her paw for the killing blow, then lowered it. She walked to behind the bush and dragged the pheasant to where Lionblaze was lying, drinking the air like it was his job.

"May we fight again another day," Blitz said, and bounded off into the woods.

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**Hey people! I know that Lionblaze can't be harmed in battle, but in this battle he does. The reason why will be revealed later, so keep reading! Please please review! **


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own Warriors**

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Blitz limped back into camp. As usual, activity was at its maximum. Rusty and Flame were chasing around their sister Maple, who managed to jump out of reach onto the banister of the abandoned twoleg place where they were staying just as Rusty attempted to pounce on her. Blitz stared wistfully at their game, remembering of when she was a young apprentice, which in truth, wasn't too long ago.

Blitz remembered when the apprentices had joined the Warriors. It had been cold and snowy, Blitz herself had been nearing the end of her training, and had been made deputy despite her young age and inexperience. Three kits, old enough to be apprentices, had stumbled into their camp. They had been exhausted and sickly, though they were strong. Cam, their current healer, had nursed them back to health. Though healers can't have kits, there was no law against adopting them, so Cam did just that. She became a stand-in mother to them, as their own mother, who had been from Thunderclan, had been exiled for falling in love with a one of their Warriors when the Warriors had passed briefly through Thunderclan territory moons ago to reach the mountains. The queen had been exiled from her clan as well, and their kits had been born loners. Their parents had been captured by twolegs, and the kits, lead by Flame, just barely managed to make it to the Warriors, just on the verge of death.

Blitz felt a kind of empathy with the apprentices. Her and Starling's mother had died giving birth to them, and their father, Fox, had turned his back on Blitz, caring to only to acknowledge Starling. He had later been killed by a rogue named Colossal. Colossal had later been killed as well by the cat when she attempted to avenge their father.

Cam ran up to Blitz, her face a flurry of panic. She examined Blitz's eye wound, taking it all in in less than a few seconds.

"Let me guess, fight with a powerful cat, most likely threatened someone close to him, beat him, and left his carcass somewhere in the forest," she guessed.

"Yes, yes, no, kind of." Blitz said in reply. Cam cocked her head to the side.

"You let him live? Blitzen, I know you, if you didn't kill him, you must have had a good reason, and you are usually merciful to those you care deeply about-" Blitz, catching on to what Cam was saying, felt herself burning from embarrassment.

"No! I just... couldn't kill him, okay? Its like he was under special protection. Understand?" Cam nodded, unconvinced. Even though she was the healer, meaning that she couldn't fall in love, she took great interest in controlling others love lives. Which, sadly, included trying to pair the ice-heart Blitz with every other cat, even ones Blitz could never even _talk _to because of one reason or another.

"Just clean the wound," Blitz ordered, recomposing herself to the vicious leader of the Warriors of the Night.

Cam began to shuffle around, picking out the few herbs she had. She began to clean out the wound. Blitz winced in pain. Cam shook her head.

"I might be able to close it up fully if I had proper herbs, but it looks like your going to wear a scar across your eye for eternity. We'll have to worry about keeping that eye clean too, as it is a possibility that you might go blind in that eye." Blitz felt like she had been hit with a brick. Which, sadly, she knew how that felt. She was going to wear that scar _forever. _Even when she went to Starclan, she would wear it.

"You sure you can't heal it fully?" Blitz asked, sounding like a kit. Cam shook her head and stepped back so she could look her in the eye.

"Blitzen, unless Star come down and heals you herself, there is no way I can clean that scar without sending you blind in one eye," she said seriously. Blitz winced.

"On second thought, I think I might stick with simple remedies and preying to Starclan." she said. Cam nodded.

"Thought so. Besides, that scar will make you appear _strong, _and _unwavering. _It'll get you a strong and noble mate for sure!" She said as she continued to dress the wound.

"Really, Cam, this is not the time to worry about finding me a mate," Blitz sighed. Cam soon finished dressing her eye wound, and proceeded to patching up her other various injuries. Blitz winced every time she pressed the chewed chervil leaves to her injuries.

"Can't you use something that hurts less than death?" Blitz asked, wincing as Cam finished by pressing cobwebs to her wounds to stop the bleeding.

"You're over reacting. I've treated cats who've been missing entire limbs." she slid a few black seeds over to Blitz. "Here; eat. They'll soothe the pain, but make you tired," she said. Blitz gulped them down.

"Thanks," she mewed, flicking her cobweb encrusted tail from side to side. Cam gazed at her, as if trying to imagine who could inflict so much damage on their leader and if he was good enough for Blitz.

"Go rest, Blitz. You'll need to let the bleeding fully stop. No buts, I don't care if our ancestors hound you constantly. You need rest." Cam ordered. Blitz sighed, knowing it wouldn't be possible to argue with Cam. She found her way to the creaky stairs and climbed her way up to the top floor. She gazed into a small puddle of water that had formed from the rain. Most of her scratches were hardly visible, covered by her thick fur, but the claw mark that ran across her eye was a bright red, visible even through her silver-blue fur. She unsheathed her claws. Gone was her proud face, leaving behind a scarred cat who was unprepared to lead. Blitz sighed as the poppy seeds began to kick in.

Finding a spot to sleep, Blitz thought about the recent events with Lionblaze. He was strong, though not in the way her Warriors were. It was like he was protected by Star herself. _He was a formidable fighter_, Blitz thought grudgingly. Yes, she would like to meet him on more respectable terms. She wondered what Cam was telling the queens below. Lionblaze was going to be the talk of the queens for a long time.

She remembered his strong, hard amber gaze. She wondered what he was telling his clanmates right now. Probably that he had met some rogue in the woods that had tried to kill his apprentice and was going to hound all of them down, she thought, chuckling slightly.

Blitz shifted her thoughts of when they were going to make their dramatic entrance. She was debating over "invading" them at a gathering, or marching up to the leaders and giving them the run-down of how her Warriors rolled.

Suddenly, her deputy, Ripper, appeared. His tabby pelt gleamed. He dipped his head in greeting.

"Blitzen, there are some scrawny flea bags here to see you." he said in his deep voice that made the she-cats swoon. Blitz lifted her head.

"Please elaborate; I know only too many scrawny flea bags," she said in a bored voice. Ripper dipped his head again. _I swear, _Blitz thought, _one day his heads going to fall off from all this formality! _

"They say they're from Thunderclan. They've brought their leader, and Rusty is currently trying to rally the apprentices to drive out the puny kittypet." Blitz upper lip curled into an almost grin, revealing her long, pointed teeth. The Thunderclan leader was known far and wide for being a former kittypet, and Rusty left to his own devices was not exactly the wisest idea.

"I say we let him deal with the furballs. If you haven't noticed, I am not exactly feeling presentable at the moment," Ripper dipped his head _again. _

"Understandable, but they refuse to leave until you've talked to them, not to mention that some are getting impatient. I don't really favor the idea of the apprentices being slaughtered." he said.

"Good point," Blitz mused. "Fine, but you have to help Cam collect herbs." Ripper's expression darkened. Cams second favorite subject of torture was Ripper. Blitz smiled at the memory of when Cam had tried to pair Ripper up with Starling when they were all apprentices. The result was chaos.

"Fine," he snapped. Blitz stood up and stretched, her hard earned muscles aching under her pelt. She walked out after Ripper, trying to hide her limp. Gazing down the old rickety wooden stairs of the twoleg place, she saw a group of five cats. The one in front had a pelt the color of fire, not all that different from Flame, Rusty, and Maple's. Next to him was Lionblaze, and Blitz prayed to Starclan that Cam wouldn't do anything embarrassing. Standing near the back was a cat with jay-blue eyes, and Blitz could tell instantly that he was blind. Standing next to the blind cat, was a fuzzy white cat who's face was torn and tattered, with an empty eye socket and fur that seemed to have no desire to grow near the empty socket. Blitz cocked her head to the side and gazed thoughtfully at her. Were eye injuries this common?

The cat in front dipped his head. Blitz sighed. _More _formalities were being presented to her. Blitz made a mental note to destroy the next person to dip their head in respect.

"Hello, I am Firestar-" He began. Blitz rolled her eyes, then winced as her scar began to sting.

"Yes, I know perfectly well who you are, kittypet." she spat. She leaped into the air, flying off the steps, and landing in front of Firestar with hardly a sound. She looked him strait in the eyes.

"And let me make this clear; my Warriors answer to no one except me. We hunt where we want, we do as we wish, and any one who stands in our way..." she raised a paw and unsheathed her long black claws. Lionblaze flinch as he remembered how much those claws could hurt. Firestar just gazed calmly back at her.

"Let me ask you this, do you believe in Starclan?" he asked. Blitz stared at him.

"Whaaa? Of course we believe in Starclan! Why wouldn't we?" Firestar gazed at her with calm eyes that were filled with wisdom, but it was all too clear he had not expected for her to say she believed in Starclan.

"Then tell me, why do you not follow the warrior code?" he asked. Blitz scoffed.

"We do too follow the warrior code!" then she leaned over to Ripper and whispered, "What's the warrior code?" Firestar apparently heard this and shook his head.

"It means you respect our borders and do not try to kill our apprentices." he said. Blitz narrowed her eyes.

"Codes are for weaklings. They hold back _true _potential." she said coolly.

"I knew a warrior," Firestar said, mimicking her tone, "who believed exactly that. It eventually destroyed him. Do not play with the flames that you cannot control,"

"Mmm-hmm. How about 'I knew a group of cats who disobeyed the leader of the Warriors of the Night, and they were destroyed.'" Blitz sassed. Firestar dipped his head.

"Very well, but tread carefully. Not all clans will be as welcoming as us," he warned. Blitz stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes, something she had seen twoleg kits do to annoy others or provoke a fight. Firestar must of recognized it, as he rolled his eyes as the others of his party looked confused, except the blind cat who looked lost in thought. As the Thunderclan cats left, she heard Lionblaze murmur,

"Thanks for the pheasant," Blitz nodded.

"You are very welcome," she whispered back. A patrol formed to lead the cats away from the camp. Just as they left, Blitz did something she had never done before,

"I'm sorry for hurting Dovewing, and I'm sorry for attacking you," she whispered. Lionblaze looked at her, and murmured,

"I forgive you," with that, the patrol disappeared through the undergrowth. Blitz turned and saw Cam gazing at her.

"What?" she asked.

"You just apologized," she said.

"So?"

"You apologized for the first time ever,"

"Yeah?"

"What caused the need to apologize?"

"None of your business," Blitz said as she sauntered back into the twoleg nest. She felt fairly good, except she couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own Warriors.**

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Cam was overreacting. Leaders apologize all the time. You needn't make a fuss and exaggerate the incident, though one could suppose that would be the outcome if you're a steel-hearted battle trained ruthless leader who doesn't give a damn about anyone outside her clan.

Blitz swept by her clan mates, heading to where Cam sat grooming herself ferociously.

"What's wrong with you?" Blitz asked her friend.

"It's this horrid scent!" Cam wailed. "I can't get it off!" Blitz needn't get near her friend to smell the odor emitting from her fur.

"Mouse bile? I thought it was the apprentice's duty to check the elders for ticks, unless there aren't any apprentices, but, last time I checked, we had quite a few." Blitz looked at her friend carefully. "You haven't fed them death berries, have you?"

"What? No, of course not! You're half right though," Cam replied.

"You mean to tell me, that you've fed our apprentices death berries?!" Blitz shrieked in horror.

"No! If you turn that way, you will see that all apprentices are present and accounted for!"

"Hey, calm down. I know that you haven't been poisoning our apprentices," Blitz assured her friend. "But how in the world did you get mouse bile so deeply in your fur?" Cam huffed.

"Some apprentice wasn't being careful, and they got me covered in mouse bile! I have been able to get the bile its self out of my fur, but the scent won't go away!" Blitz rested her tail on Cams shoulder.

"Why don't you go down to the lake and work on getting that scent out of your pelt," Blitz suggested. "I'll get Dusty to cover for you while your out." Cam suddenly looked nervous.

"But what if I get attacked by a Thunderclan patrol?" Cam asked.

"Sweet talk your way out, but if they are true clan cats, they wouldn't dare attack a medicine cat." Blitz assured her.

"If you say so... " Cam said. She stood up and left. Blitz gazed around, then limped over to Dusty.

"Dusty, I need you to cover for Cam while she's out," Blitz told the Dust-colored cat.

"Huh? Oh, okay. No prob." he said. "Hey, Ella's kits are almost old enough to be apprentices, and I was wondering..."

"We'll see, Dusty. It more of a matter of matching the right apprentice with the right mentor," she replied. Dusty nodded vigorously.

"Okay! If I become a mentor, I'll be the best there ever was!" he said.

"That's the spirit," Blitz said.

"Have you seen them recently? They're huge!" Dusty went on. Blitz's pelt prickled with guilt.

"Actually, the only time I visited Ella's kits was when Ella had picked their names," she muttered, embarrassed.

"Aw, no need to feel guilty! Just go and take a gander at them now!" he said, getting to his paws.

"'Take a gander'?" Blitz asked, amused.

"It means take a look" he said, rolling his eyes. Blitz followed him across the moldy floors of the twoleg nest to a secluded corner, away from the rough-housing apprentices and chattering elders. In the wall, there was a hole that lead out into the forest. It was almost invisible, and so small that Blitz could barely fit her muscular body through.

The forest was damp from rain, leaving puddles of mud that were almost impossible to walk across. It didn't take long before Blitz's paws were stained brown, making her fur clump uncomfortably.

"How far is it?" Blitz asked.

"Almost there. Getting close. And... we're here!" Dusty said. They had stopped at a clearing that had a willow in the middle, blowing softly in the breeze. A queen sat at the edge of the clearing, watching her kits with pride as they scampered up the old willow tree like squirrels.

"Hey Ella!" Dusty called, and bounced over.

"Good to see you, Dusty!" Ella called back. She dipped her head in greeting to Blitz.

"'lo, Ella. How're the kits?" she asked.

"See for your self," she said happily. "Serval! Lynx! Sunny! Trout! Sheep! Come here, you've got visitors!" At the call of their mother, they scampered down the tree with great agility. They tried to run across a muddy spot, but Sunny, who was in front, slipped and fell. The rest of the kits slammed into her and all went sliding. Ella sighed.

"Really, I just groomed you five!" Ella said, exasperated.

"Hey, Dusty!" Lynx squeaked, making it obvious that her mother's words were going in one ear and out the other.

"Hi, Lynx. Having fun climbing?" Dusty asked, crouching down so he was level with the fuzzy black spotted kit.

"Yup! Do you like climbing?" Lynx asked, the tufts of fur on the tips of her ears quivering with excitement.

"As much as any cat," he replied, then turned to the rest of the kits. "Have you guys met Blitz yet?"

"No," the chorused cutely. Sunny gazed up at Blitz, eyes wide.

"Your really big," she said in awe.

"And strong," Trout said. "When I'm a warrior, I'm going to be as strong as Blitz!"

"Are you willing to work for it?" Blitz asked, amused.

"You bet I am!" he replied, and proceeded to begin chasing his tail.

"When I get older, I want to be leader!" Sheep squeaked. Her voice was high pitched and had quavery note to it, as if she were afraid to be laughed at.

"Leader?" Serval laughed. "What chance could _you _have of becoming leader? You're just a scrap of fuzz!" Sheep looked hurt.

"Don't talk to your sister that way," Ella scolded. "It isn't nice,"

"But its true! You can't deny that she's a scrap!" Serval argued back.

"I believe she has as much of a chance of becoming leader as the rest of you," Blitz said.

"She's right, you know," Dusty added. "A leader is chosen not by the thickness of their skin or the muscle on their bones, but by the strength of their heart," Blitz and Ella looked at Dusty in awe.

"Wow, Dusty," Ella said. "That actually sounded _wise_." Dusty pouted.

"I can be wise!" he argued, but Ella ignored him.

"Betcha I can climb the willow faster than you!" Sunny called to her brothers and sisters, then rocketed off toward the willow. Sheep tried to follow, but Trout turned around and said,

"Don't bother, you'll just get hurt," he said, though unlike Serval, there was worry in his voice, like he cared about what condition his sister was in. Sheep sat down sadly, her pouting fuzzy white features twisted with bitterness.

"I'm fast," she murmured. "I wouldn't get hurt,"

"You'll have your chance," Ella whispered into her daughter's ear. "How 'bout you show Blitz your thinking space?" Sheep brightened up at this, any sign of melancholy leaving her face.

"Okay! C'mon Blitz!" she said before bounding off into the forest. Blitz leaped to her feet and followed the excited kit, careful not to loose sight of her fuzzy pelt. The trees began to change to pines, and the forest floor became muddier. Sheep paused at a clearing, then walked slowly along its perimeter. The clearing was a mess, with litter everywhere.

"Don't tell Ella that I have to walk by here," Sheep whispered. "She'd have a fit."

They trotted onward, and came to a twoleg path. A few twolegs passed them, but paid them no attention. They walked along the side of the path for a while, when Sheep stopped and crossed.

"Don't tell Ella 'bout this either," her whisper was barely audible, as if she was doing something forbidden and didn't want to be caught. Blitz felt confused. There was nothing to fear in this forest. If they were attacked, Blitz could easily defeat their attackers, and if not, all they would have to do was yell. Blitz had dozens of patrols across the lake who would come at a moments notice.

Sheep fastened her teeth around a bush and pulled with all her might. Blitz thought Sheep must be crazy, but slowly shifted to the side revealing a dark hole. Blitz admired Sheep's intellect. To a passerby, the bush looked fastened into the ground, completely hiding the hole.

"C'mon," Sheep said, before disappearing down the hole. Blitz followed Sheep into the dirt uneasily, and was pleased to find that it wasn't just a hole, but a tunnel as well. The tunnel's edges pressed in on Blitz's sides, barely large enough for this monster of a cat. Roots sticking out of the dirt walls tugged at Blitz's fur, and Blitz felt a rush of envy at Sheep's small size.

"Slow down! I'm not as fast as you are!" Blitz called down the tunnel. Blitz heard Sheep's paw steps slow, and soon the fluffy white cat came into view. "Is it close? This tunnel gives me the creeps,"

"Almost there," Sheep assured her. The tunnel dipped frighteningly low, darkness seeping all around the two cats so Blitz couldn't see a mouse tail in front of her.

They walked slowly down the tunnel, the recent rain making the mud so wet, that Blitz had to sink her claws into the earth to keep from slipping.

A tunnel wall rose up in front of them, and Blitz felt herself panic. The dip in the earth was too steep and slippery to climb back up. Oh, what to do, what to do? Blitz's mentor hadn't taught her what to do in a situation like this.

"It continues farther down," Sheep murmured. "Right under a cavern where ancient cats used to live,"

"How'd you know that? The ancient cats, I mean," Blitz asked, curiously.

"I met one," Sheep pawed at the ground, digging up mud. "The rain washed mud over the hole, just let me dig it out,"

"Here, let me help," Blitz said, and together, the two cats began to dig. Blitz's paw struck at the earth, then went right through the ground. "Here we go," she said. Sheep went first into the darkness, followed by Blitz. They were, again, in another tunnel, but Blitz could see a soft light at the end of it. Sheep bounded towards the light, with Blitz right at her heels.

When out of the tunnel, Blitz gave a gasp. The cavern was beautiful, with crystals reflecting on pools of black water. Moss grew on rocks, giving everything an especially soft look.

"I thought we were going under the cavern," Blitz said.

"We are under it. I don't think the ancient cats ever knew about this one," Blitz looked at the little kit, who was washing her fuzzy kit-paws. She had to admire this kit. Sheep was smarter than she let on, despite her small size. Blitz didn't think any cat of the Warriors of the Night would appreciate how smart this kit was. Who could mentor her?

A wisp of silvery light appeared in front of Blitz, and a cat who Blitz had never seen before appeared. It's features were twisted and blank, as if someone had washed them away. Blitz knew this cat had been in Starclan for a long time. Half it's face crumbled off before her eyes, like sand on a beach. Its paws were only stubs, and it had no ears. When it spoke, dark steam billowed out of it's mouth. Its voice sounded like a dying toad's croak.

"The crimes of Nightclan has made the scales unbalanced," it said to Blitz. "A life must offered up to cleanse the clan of the sacred," it dissipated, leaving a fowl scent and dark steam floating in the air.

"Did you see that?" Blitz asked the kit.

"See what?" Sheep asked quizzically.

"Never mind," Blitz said. "But we should be getting-" her sentence was cut short by a loud rumbling, like water. She only had time to yowl in fear as a huge burst of lake water filled the cavern, throwing her against the wall, and sending her spiraling into darkness.

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**Uh-oh. Suspense!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I do not own Warriors.**

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Darkness swirled around her, water being forced into her lungs, the pressure pressing in from all angles, choking all air from her. She struggled to swim, but the water kept yanking her down, swallowing her whole. Everything was a dark blackness, and Blitz felt a rush of panic. She was going to die down here, far under the Earth and even farther from her ancestors. Far away from her clan, from the forest, from everything she cared about.

Briefly, Blitz's head broke the surface of the water, and she sucked in the stale air before being pushed under again. Waves slammed her against the cavern wall, battering her already injured body like fish against the rocks. Her head broke surface again, and she saw Sheep's head briefly break the surface, then to be pushed under again. Blitz tried to swim over to the drowning kit, but it was hopeless. Nothing could save her now. No one, nothing at all.

"Sheep!" She called, but it came out as a gurgling croak. The waves pushed her under once more, and she struggled to climb back to the surface. The water had almost completely filled the cavern, washing away its beauty like sand on a beach. Bits of moss swirled around in the blackened water. Another wave crashed down on her, slamming her once more into the wall. Blackness ebbed around her vision, and the world went black as she was destroyed by the final enemy.

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**Dun Dun Duh! Could this be the end? No! It is not the end! Never fear, an unexpected hero will come to the rescue! Which hero will it be, though? **


	6. Chapter 6

**I do not own Warriors.**

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A rumbling sound shook the earth, causing the twoleg nest to quiver and sway threateningly. Cats ran about, wailing and essentially, freaking the hell out. Ripper looked around frantically for their leader, but Blitz was nowhere to be found. Worse, Cam was gone as well.

Ripper cursed. They couldn't be more unlucky. The leader _and _medicine cat gone? Starclan obviously had bad intentions for them. Throngs of cats raced past him, panicking. The twoleg nest was in danger of collapsing, and there were still cats inside.

Ripper ran towards the swaying structure, power pouring into his every vein and muscle. He yelled orders to the fleeing cat, but he kept his eyes on the prize. He could hear the mewling of kits inside, frightened by the shaking of the Earth.

Ripper burst into the twoleg nest, and the sight was not pleasing. Rafters were breaking like twigs, and the floor had collapsed in certain spots. A dead cat lay crumpled in the corner, her lifeless eyes staring blankly at the ceiling, a rafter imbedded in her spine. Ripper shivered. He recognized this cat, even if he hadn't talked to her much. It was Mouse, one of the current queens, and a friend of Cam.

"Those who can walk, carry a kit or aid an elder," he called out, his voice booming like thunder. The panic level lowered by about a millimeter, but that was enough to get them to move. A few warriors scooped up kits in their jaws and carried the little scraps of fur away as fast as they could. Ella was struggling with her kits, one of which was unmoving. Ripper ran forward and scooped up one of the smaller kits, who squeaked in defiance.

They ran out of the twoleg nest, just as a majority of the roof collapsed. The shaking stopped, thank Starclan, but the mess was astounding. Ripper set down the kit and gave a head count. Almost everyone was here, minus the patrols and Mouse. A tom ran up to Ripper, panting with a frantic look in his eyes.

"Where's Mouse?" he asked frantically. Ripper shifted uncomfortably. This must have been Mouse's mate.

"She…she's dead. I'm sorry. She was crushed by a rafter," Ripper said mournfully. The tom wailed in grief.

"She can't be! What about my kits? Where are they? Let them be alive at the least!" Ella inclined her head to the east, where a few cats were rounding up the apprentices and kits.

"They should be over there, Falcon," she murmured quietly. Falcon ran off quickly to make sure that his kits were alive and well.

A cool breeze blew through the wet leaves, chilling Ripper to the bone. This shouldn't have happened, it couldn't have. Ripper should have been able to save Mouse. No cat deserved to die like that. No one.

Drowning in frustration and so angry that he saw red, Ripper reared up and clawed at a nearby tree, sending bark and wood chips flying.

"This shouldn't have happened!" he roared. Ella looked frightened, but didn't back away.

"You couldn't have prevented it, you couldn't have stopped it. You can only keep moving forward," she said. Ripper watched Ella's kits tussle in the dirt. A thought occurred to Ripper.

"Ella, where's Sheep?" he asked.

"Oh she's with…" realization crossed her face, "she's still with Blitz! Where are they? Where is my kit?" she asked, all panicky.

"I don't know where they are, Blitz didn't tell me where she was going," Ripper replied.

"I told Sheep to show Blitz this cavern she likes to visit," she said, "What if it's collapsed? I've killed my kit!"

"Do you know where this cavern is?" Ripper asked.

"Somewhere in Shadowclan territory," she said, and wailed again in grief.

"I'll go find Sheep," Ripper instructed, "Stay here and look after your kits," Ella did not calm.

"No! Please let me come! Dusty can look after my kits! Just let me look for my daughter!" She begged. Ripper shook his head.

"Stay here. That's an order."

Ripper took off into the forest as fast as he could. A few of his clan looked up as he ran past them, some calling out questions, but Ripper ignored them. He couldn't let anything else happen to anyone, much less an innocent kit and their not-so-innocent leader. Branches and tendrils raked at his dark tabby fur and black mud squelched under his paws as they slammed against the earth.

Suddenly, Ripper heard a yowl of anger, and someone landing on his back. Ripper instinctively flipped onto his back, knocking the attacker off. Ripper got to his paws unnaturally fast, and swiped at the cat. His claws connected with the cat's muzzle, and his attacker responded with pouncing at Ripper. Ripper's teeth connected with its neck, narrowly avoiding its spine and windpipe. The cat let out a blood-curling yowl. Ripper heard more cats running through the undergrowth to where he had the cat at the throat.

Ripper released the cat and ran, angry that he had gotten off course. He heard the thunder off paw steps behind him, and he ran faster, keen to not get side tracked again. He could smell the scent markers not far ahead, and hoped that they wouldn't follow him over the border. With clan cats, you never know.

He could feel the Thunderclan cats right behind him, and ran even faster to try and lose them. Ripper could smell the Shadowclan border not far ahead. _Faster, _he thought, _almost there. _With a yowl of triumph, Ripper sprang over the border into Shadowclan territory. He looked over his shoulder to make sure he was no longer being pursued, and was pleased to see that the Thunderclan cats had stopped, hissing and spitting in frustration.

"Come back and fight, you coward!" a gray tom yowled angrily.

"Love to, but I'm needed elsewhere," Ripper replied smugly. He ran a few moments longer, and then slowed to search for Blitz's scent. It was difficult, as the area reeked of Shadowclan. Ripper gagged at the strength of the stench. Ripper began to lose hope about finding Blitz when he saw paw prints. A pair of large paws prints, and tiny, itty-bitty prints lead away from him. He gave them a sniff. Yup, Blitz and Sheep had been there. The stench of blood and meat clung to them like burs to a pelt.

Ripper began to follow them, but soon they disappeared, along with the scent trail. Ripper cursed Starclan for the endless rain. It could possibly cost his clan the life of their leader. He began to pace back and forth when the strong scent of squirrel blood filled his nostrils.

"Yo, Ripper! What's up? Did ya feel dat earthquake? Man, it was fierce. Scared all the pray off! What about you? How's da clan been while we've been out huntin'?" Ripper turned to see one of the hunting patrols that Blitz had sent out earlier, before she disappeared. The patrol was lead by Hammy, a large tom with tawny colored fur and bright green eyes. Hammy had been born with a speech problem, so when he spoke he sounded as if it was a struggle to form each word. Trailing not far behind him was Rainbow; a she-cat with bright red fur and yellowing eyes. Walking in step next to her was her brother, Bane, a lithe black tom with a mean streak a mile wide. Bringing up the rear was Brown_. _Brown, like her name, was a muddy color with bark colored eyes.

"The clan is standing on the border of _crazy _and _dead._ Major casualties; Mouse died, and Blitz, Cam, and Sheep are M.I.A. Other than that, everything's been great while you've been out," Ripper replied sourly. Hammy looked appalled.

"Whoa, dude, ya can't be serious. They haven't been captured, have they?" Hammy asked, worried.

"I don't believe so; I was just looking for them now. Well, Blitz and Sheep, at least. I don't have a clue where Cam is," Ripper told him.

"Can we help?" Brown mewed. Ripper nodded.

"The more help, the better," Ripper replied, trying not to flinch away.

"Who's Sheep?" Rainbow asked.

"Fluffy white kit about half the size of a small pheasant." Ripper told her.

"But I've never met Sheep, how will I distinguish her scent?"

"She's with Blitz, but we're wasting time. Start looking," Ripper ordered. The patrol split up and began looking for the missing cats. Bane ran off into the forest of pines to look a little farther on, (and possibly bully a passing Shadowclan apprentice,) Hammy began to thunder noisily around, as if he might scare up Blitz's scent like you might scare a bird out of a bush. Rainbow and Brown sniffed around, their paws barely touching the ground.

Ripper had hardly returned to searching when he heard Bane yowl, "I think I've found them!" The patrol thundered over to where his voice carried, hopes high, to find that he did not stand in the company of their leader and a kit, but next to a rabbit hole.

"You idiot, I think you need to get your nose checked," Rainbow scolded. Bane shook his head.

"No, no, I can smell them, but they went _in _the rabbit-hole, I'm sure of it!" Bane insisted.

"Hahahaha! Blitz fittin' down dat vent? Ya must be losin' your brain!" Hammy scoffed. Bane growled, his pelt prickling. Ripper could see he was resisting the urge to rip Hammy to shreds. Ripper was about to turn away and continue his search when he saw a tuft of blue-silver fur clinging to a root, not to deep in the hole.

"Actually," Ripper said, "I think you are right, Bane," Ripper the fur off the root with his teeth and lay it on the ground for his clan mates to see.

"Your right!" Burn murmured, taking a whiff of the fur to verify that it came from their leader's pelt. Ripper glanced at the hole.

"I think about half of us should go down, and half should search for Cam," Bane suggested.

"Good idea. Rainbow, Bane, come with me to look for Blitz and Sheep. Hammy and Brown, go look for Cam," Ripper ordered. The patrol nodded, and Brown and Hammy ran off. Ripper watched them go, then turned to his patrol.

"Come on; Rainbow, your nose is strongest, you go first," Ripper ordered. Rainbow glared at him.

"You just want me to go first because there might be traps of a patrol ready to ambush, and you'd rather me get killed then yourself," she said, accusingly. Ripper rolled his eyes.

"Fine! I'll go first!" Ripper yowled, exasperated. Rainbow nodded smugly.

"I thought so," she said. Ripper growled angrily, causing Rainbow to look slightly fearful.

"That's enough! Blitz is down there, possibly injured, and you two are wasting time!" Bane berated the two as if they were naughty kits. There was a silence, and finally the slowly, one by one, made their way down the rabbit hole.

The rabbit hole turned out to not be a hole, but rather a tunnel. It widened a bit, but was still a tight fit. They never got lost, as all they had to do was follow the patches of blue-silver fur clinging to protruding roots.

"I hope Blitz isn't hurt," Bane muttered, almost to himself. Rainbow lashed her tail angrily, yet she chuckled with amusement.

"Why is it that you toms always fear for Blitz, but not about a kit? I'm sure out esteemed leader can look after herself," Rainbow stated. Bane's pelt prickled with embarrassment.

"Uh, I am worried about the kit-um, yeah, very worried. I sure hope that kit is all right," Bane said, unconvincingly. Rainbow sighed, but continued to walk in silence.

The ground beneath their paws quickly became slippery, with mud so thick that the trio got stuck multiple times. Every time the tunnel dipped, they would slip and slide into each other, ending up as the main cause of their hold-ups.

The tunnel dipped once more, and Ripper could hear the rushing of water. He took a step forward, and braced himself for the embarrassment of sliding down the ridge. He slid a little at first, then _splash! _Ripper plunged into icy water. Shocked by the cold and the fact that there was _water _there, Ripper forgot to swim. He began to sink, when Rainbow shouted,

"_Swim, _idiot, swim!" Ripper began to move his limbs, almost as if he were running. Running on a very slippery and almost intangible surface. He felt pins and needles prickle across his skin as he forced the blood to flow, and slowly he began to tread the water. He swam over to the slope, and clawed his way upward, sinking his claws into the slope so he wouldn't fall back in.

Ripper collapsed on the muddy ground, shivering and feeling slightly humiliated. Rainbow swooped down and began licking his pelt to warm him up and get the blood flowing. Ripper could here Bane stifling a laugh, and shot him a glare.

"Let's see you try and swim in that bucket 'o ice," Ripper rebuked. He glanced up at Rainbow. "I don't think Blitz came down here," he said. Bane sniffed the walls.

"My nose and eyes beg to differ," he argued. He plucked a scrap of fur off the walls and let it flutter to the ground. "And I don't think she left the tunnels," Rainbow looked at him confused.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Bane looked at her straight on.

"I mean that before we started down this Starclan forsaken tunnel, the dirt was pushed inward, meaning that she didn't exit that way, only entered. We followed her scent and fur to get here, right? Well, at the intersections, we didn't see her fur in other tunnels, nor smelled her scent wafting from elsewhere, meaning that this tunnel flooded recently," he paused, "The earthquake! That was the tunnel flooding, and it is safe to assume-" he stopped mid-sentence. "That she's still in this tunnel," he finished quietly, "probably underwater," He gazed into icy black water, worry filling his gaze.

"How're we going to know if she's really down there?" Rainbow asked nervously. Ripper sat up and fixed her with a determined stare.

"We don't. But we are going down there because it's the best lead we've got," Ripper said, "We'll take turns going down. Rainbow, you stay up here, so when one of us resurfaces, you can help us regain lost body heat. Bane, would you car to go first?" Ripper smirked, but was thoroughly surprised when Bane nodded determinedly.

"Sure," he said simply. Rainbow and Ripper backed up, and Bane ran and dove into the water. He stayed down for about thirty seconds, before resurfacing.

"It's completely black down there. There is a hole in the floor, which I can't seem to get through. The water is flowing up through a cavern, much lower than where we are," he reported, scrambling out of the icy cold water, and collapsing on the ground, panting. Ripper's hopes of finding Blitz plummeted to his stomach.

"Any good news?" Rainbow asked. Bane nodded.

"The slope is too steep to climb back up," Ripper growled.

"How is that good news?" he asked, angrily. Bane rolled his eyes.

"It is good because they obviously weren't going to exit this way, which means there is another way to get to them, without taking a plunge into icy water," he stated mechanically.

"But how'll we find it? Blitz and Sheep are probably all ready dead!" Rainbow wailed. Ripper gazed at the dark water.

"Then we'll bring back her body," he said, before turning and walking away from the water and back towards the light, where cats belong. His two companions followed him, casting mournful looks back at the water. Each of them could not force this thought from their heads; _have we left our leader to die?_

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**YES! I have updated! I feel amazing! The reason why I havn't updated in forever is because we had a massive history project, (National History Day,) and I have been working endlessly on that. I got 1st place in the school competition for my section! I will be going onto regionals! YAY!**


	7. Chapter 7

Hey everyone! I have decided to give up on this story, and luckily, SunriseMist has adopted this story. This way, I can direct my full attention to my Fullmetal Alchemist story, Counter-Clockwise. I had fun writing this, and now I am happy that I don't have this weighing on my shoulders anymore. Thanks, SunriseMist!


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